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Any entrepreneur worth his salt will tell you that attending conferences is one of the most effective ways to find clients and make new connections. However, with so many conferences out there, your head is probably spinning trying to pick one to attend.

No worries – I’ve done some of the hunting for you and distilled the 10 essential entertainment industry cons you want to attend to rub elbows with the best in the business.

By the way, you may notice some of the more popular cons aren’t listed here, but that’s because this is a series. I’ll be giving you the lists of niche cons in later posts, okay? So definitely stick around for them.

Digital Hollywood: a convergence of the technology and entertainment, this conference runs several times a year in different locations (including in Europe), and sometimes as a joint venture with other conference (including Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit and CES each year).

When: October 15-18, 2012; November 15-16, 2012 Where: the Ritz Carlton in Marina del Rey, CA; and the McGraw-Hill Building in New York City (respectively)

Advertising Age’s Social Engagement/Social TV LA Conference 2012: this brand new conference (its very first event happened in April 2012 in NY) is a unique combination of social media, marketing, branding, technology, and entertainment industries, all putting their heads together to revolutionize the TV experience. The next one happens tomorrow, but rest assured, there will be many more opportunities for you to attend.

Showbiz Expo: the site claims it’s “the largest trade show and networking event for the entertainment industry”, drawing attendees from all areas of the business, from filmmakers and production assistants to publicists and accountants, to anyone involved in live production.

The date and venue aren’t up yet, but I still recommend you see the site for yourself and keep an eye out for updates.

When: TBDWhere: TBD

International CES (Consumer Electronics Show): if you want to be on the forefront of innovation, this show is a must-attend. Tech companies the world over will be marketing the latest in consumer electronics – new shiny toys we laymen will get a year or two later – and you can be the first to know about them; information you can leverage for your own business. Riding the first wave is the most effective way to stay relevant.

Tour Link 2013: simply put, it’s a 3-day conference for anyone in the touring industry (and related industries, as the site points out). So if you’re in the music, live entertainment, or touring worlds, or even the videography world (concerts always need to be recorded), come on down.

NAB Show (National Association of Broadcasters): the ultimate multimedia conference, offering 500+ skill-building sessions, and featuring the largest, most well known media and technology companies worldwide. Even if you’re not specifically in the broadcasting industry, you won’t want to miss this conference.

PromaxBDA Conference: according to the site, this conference is where you’ll find “the world’s most innovative creatives, marketers, strategists, designers and thought leaders”. In short, they not only combine media, entertainment, and technology, but they also focus on business, which is especially useful for a tenacious entrepreneur like you.

By the way, don’t let the 2013 date discourage you. They have a few conferences happening much sooner, including one on October 23, 2012 and one in November. Check (http://www.promaxbda.org/events) their site for more details.

IBC 2013 (International Broadcasting Convention): per the website, this conference is for anyone involved in “the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content worldwide.” It’s another conference that marries entertainment with technology, but on an international scale. Imagine the networking opportunities in that setting.

When: September 2013 Where: RAI, Amsterdam MultiScreen Summit (formerly LA Mobile Entertainment Summit): as the name implies, this conference will help you make your business accessible from all devices – from the television to the smartphone and tablet. Considering our increasingly mobile world, the info you’ll learn at this conference is very necessary. The bigwigs of media will be there, too. Check out the site to see who attended the 2012 conference.

When: September 2013 Where: Hollywood, CA

If you’re new to conferences, this list is a good starting point.

Feel free to check out the websites above for more details. Again, this is the first post in a series of conference list posts coming up, categorized by relevant niche, so don’t worry – if you haven’t seen one you’re interested in here, you’re sure to see in the coming weeks. Stick around, would ya? ;)

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